TikTok Marketing In Singapore: A Complete Guide

Tiktok has already cemented its place as a virality-creating machine. In many cases, when a TikTok video goes viral, it becomes literally the talk of the town. The video can reach the national news and be reposted by different large content publishers. 

During the 2020 pandemic, the app rose to worldwide popularity. It created internet superstars like the dancer Charlie D’Amelio and the silent common-sense guy Khaby Lame, who have 155.2 million and 162.6 million followers, respectively. TikTok also became a platform for many songs to go viral and reach the top of global music charts, such as Doja Cat’s “Say So” and Tyla’s “Water.” 

Because of the magnitude of Tiktok’s influence, brands have also utilized this app in their marketing campaigns. Many have become successful in creating marketing and advocacy trends. Good examples include cosmetic brands like E.L.F Cosmetics which benefited from makeup transitions and trends. 

If you desire massive virality and want to level up your marketing game, it is time to tap into Tiktok. Learn how to leverage this fun app for your campaigns by following this complete guide on TikTok marketing in Singapore.

What is Tiktok?

TikTok is a social media mobile app that has enlisted a massive global following with users concentrating on video content. It seems to be a hit with Gen Z users. The platform has become the go-to platform for viral entertainment content, lip-sync videos, and hashtag challenges, to name a few.

Users can shoot short videos, edit them, incorporate effects, and showcase them to other TikTok users. On the platform, content creators can leverage category-specific hashtags that help them to be found by users who don’t follow them.

In Singapore, TikTok comes with light content. Think about sassy, comic content that used to appear on Twitter’s video resource; Vine.

The popular genres on TikTok range from funny skits, lip-sync how-tos and cringe videos. TikTok’s brief history dates back to 2016. Coming from its roots, the Chinese video-sharing app, Douyin, ByteDance developed the global version in 2017, and named it Tiktok.

What accelerated TikTok’s popularity was the acquisition of Musical.ly, a social media platform that enabled users to create lip-sync videos of popular songs. From then, TikTok has proven its potential by becoming one of the world’s most sought-after and downloaded apps.

Despite its appeal hovering around the massive gen Z demographic, discerning marketers are lining up TikTok to marshal their marketing efforts into the future.

Understanding TikTok’s Unique Landscape

• Short-Form Video Power: Unlike other platforms, TikTok specializes in bite-sized videos that offer a quick, engaging way to convey messages.
• Vast and Diverse Audience: With a global audience that spans various demographics, TikTok presents a unique opportunity to reach a wide spectrum of potential customers.
• Culture of Authenticity: TikTok users value genuineness, creating a space where authentic, relatable content thrives over polished, ad-like presentations.

The Strategic Edge of TikTok Marketing

• Enhanced Brand Visibility: By leveraging TikTok’s algorithms, brands can gain exposure far beyond their existing customer base.
• Engagement and Community Building: TikTok’s interactive features like comments, shares, and likes foster a sense of community, making users feel more connected to brands.
• Innovative Campaigns and Trends: Brands can harness the power of viral trends or create their own, engaging users in a way that feels natural and fun.
• In-app Purchasing: Launched in 2022, Tiktok integrated an in-app ecommerce feature. Brands not only can promote their products and services, they can also directly get sales inside the app. 

Integrating TikTok into Your Marketing Mix

• Complementing Existing Strategies: TikTok should be seen as a complement to a brand’s overall marketing strategy, not a replacement. It offers a unique way to engage audiences that might be unreachable through traditional media.
• Brand Storytelling with a Twist: The platform is perfect for creative storytelling, allowing brands to showcase their personality and values in a more relatable way.
• Feedback and Adaptation: TikTok’s instant feedback loop enables brands to quickly gauge the success of their content and adjust strategies in real time.

Who Uses TikTok?

In any market study, a marketer must know the consumers’ demographics to see if the channel fits and if the strategies can be effective. In the case of Tiktok, the common users are shown in the following chart:

Figure 1 shows the growth of Tiktok user base in Singapore from 2022 – 2024. According to DataReportal, there are now 3.38 million Singaporean Tiktok users aged 18 and above. The number consistently grew from 2.39 million in 2023, and only 1.83 million in 2022. It is clear in the chart above that the Tiktok user base is in a positive trajectory as years pass.

Figure 2 shows the TikTok ad audience classified by gender. As of 2024, 49.3% of users are female, while the male user base is slightly higher at 50.7%. With an almost balanced gender ratio among users, it can be said that TikTok is an effective tool for targeting both genders. There is no significant bias toward either gender. Hence, almost all brands can use TikTok to advertise their products and services.

Figure 3 shows the Tiktok ad reach percentage in the local internet user base in Singapore from 2022 to 2024. According to DataReportal, “TikTok’s ad reach in Singapore was equivalent to 58.3 percent of the local internet user base at the beginning of the year, regardless of age.” It grew significantly as compared to 41.1% in 2023, and 33.5% in 2022.

As of January 2024, Singapore has 6.03 million citizens, and the Tiktok users already make up more than 50% of the population. And based on the figures above, Tiktok has a consistent user base growth and ad reach, with no gender bias. Brands must not overlook this massive and still growing online marketing channel. 

How Does TikTok Work?

TikTok is based on short video clips that run for a maximum of 15 seconds. In the 2024 update, the app does not only publish short-form content. It also allows content running from three to 30 minutes. Users interact with these videos by scrolling down their newsfeeds or FYP (for-you-page). 

The coolest thing about TikTok is that it allows you to add background music and all kinds of editing effects to your videos. It also has lots of viral dance video challenges that you can participate in and join the fun.

Those interacting with your videos are allowed to like, comment, and share the video with other users if they like it. Another way to interact with the videos is through stitching or dueting them.

TikTok has the highest engagement rate of any other social media platform. Studies also go on to confirm that it does a pretty good job keeping users on the app, perhaps because of the way the users interact with its news feed. The app encourages users to endlessly and even mindlessly scroll down millions of videos.

Knowing the addictive nature of the app, brands can leverage that to hook their customers in and even lure potential consumers. Here’s a quick guide on how to setup a business account:

Step-by-Step Guide to TikTok Business Account Setup

1. Download and Sign Up: Start by downloading the TikTok app and signing up for an account using your business email for a professional touch.
2. Switch to Business Account: In your profile settings, opt to switch to a business account to access exclusive features tailored for brands.
3. Selecting the Right Category: Choose a category that best fits your business. This helps TikTok suggest your content to relevant audiences.

Tips On How To Master TikTok Marketing

By default, the app is a platform for short-form videos. And because they are just short content, many marketers still underestimate the amount of effort and time it takes to create a successful TikTok presence. 

During its early days, Tiktok was seen to only be a tool for consumer awareness. Because of the number of eyeballs in the app, marketers just used the app to introduce the brand to the consumers. But now, with all the app updates, Tiktok can now land brands with valuable engagement, customer loyalty, and even sales. 

Here are some tips for achieving successful Tiktok campaigns:

1. Start with Content Strategy and Planning

• Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar to maintain a consistent posting schedule. Regular posting keeps your brand top-of-mind for your audience.
• Content Themes and Series: Consider creating themed content or series to build a narrative around your brand, enhancing audience anticipation and engagement.
• Generate leads with content: One of the biggest problems that most businesses encounter when it comes to marketing on TikTok is that they rely solely on videos of themselves to generate leads.

This is all well and good when you have hundreds or thousands of videos to choose from, but finding that one perfect video to use as a lead magnet is incredibly hard.

Instead of relying on videos of yourself, establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry by creating and curating content that other businesses and brands want to be associated with.

This should be the ultimate goal of every marketer on TikTok. Create thoughtful, informative content that will convert viewers into leads and customers.

The truth is, nobody knows your industry better than you do.

2. Measure the right metrics

It’s important to measure the right metrics to determine the success of your campaign on TikTok. You’re going to want to look at things like:

• The number of views your video has received
• The number of comments your video has received
• The number of likes your video has received
• The number of shares your video has received
• The number of completed watches (i.e. views)
• The number of saves
• The number of leads generated from the video

3. Personal branding is key

Branding is the summary of your professional persona that makes your customers and potential customers more interested in what you have to offer. When you consider that over 80% of purchasing decisions are now made on social media, it’s easy to see why personal branding is so important.

On TikTok, your personal branding is going to be everything.

Your profile is how customers discover your content. So, it’s important that you establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your industry. This is going to happen through your personal branding. Your name. Your headshot. Your profile description.

These are the little details that customers use to discover your content. Make sure that every bit of information about you is consistent and comprehensive. This will help customers understand who you are and what you offer. It also makes it much easier for you to market yourself on the platform. In the digital age, authenticity is king.

The more that your customers and potential customers know about you, the more interested they’ll be in what you have to offer. Create a brand voice and messaging that is going to make them interested in what you have to say.

Once they’ve found your content, they’ll want to learn more about you. And when they find that you’re an expert in your industry, they’ll want to do business with you because of your expertise.

4. Use keywords in your headlines, descriptions, and video tags

The headline, description, and tags for your video content are all essential to getting your videos to show up in organic search results on Google. These are three tiny little words that can have a massive impact on your video’s performance in the search engine.

Using the keywords that Google suggests will generate the most interest for your video’s content. You can also include hashtags in your headlines, descriptions, and tags.

Doing this will make your video stand out even more to your targeted audience. Also, don’t be afraid to include a few words of French, Spanish, or Italian in your video’s description or tags.

The more linguistically diverse your video content is, the better. It shows that you’ve done your research and understood the needs of your audience. Plus, it’s a nice touch when a customer views your video in French and then decides to visit your website or buy your product because it’s in French.

These are just a few examples of the benefits of diversifying your content’s language. Localizing your content allows you to reach a wider audience and increase the chances of a customer or potential customer discovering your content. 

5. Use keywords and hashtags in your email marketing campaigns

You can also use keywords and hashtags in your email marketing campaigns to target the right audience, increase click-through rates, and improve your overall video performance. Email marketing automation tools can make the process of creating and sending out campaigns much easier. And with the right tools, you can measure the success of your email marketing campaigns to determine how you can improve for the next time.

6. Building Engagement

• Interact with Your Audience: Respond to comments, participate in challenges, and use interactive features like polls to boost engagement.
• Leverage Trending Sounds and Hashtags: Stay updated with trending sounds and hashtags to increase the visibility of your posts.
• Challenges and Hashtags: Create or participate in challenges and use relevant hashtags to increase your content’s reach.
• User Interaction: Engage with your audience through comments, duets, and stitches. Building a community feel around your brand encourages loyalty and repeat engagement.
• Polls and Q&As: Use TikTok’s interactive features like polls and Q&A sessions to directly engage with your audience and gather feedback.

7. Collaborating with Creators and Influencers

• Identify Potential Collaborators: Look for TikTok creators or influencers whose style and audience align with your brand.
• Co-create Content: Collaborate on content that leverages the influencer’s creativity while staying true to your brand message.

8. Monitoring Trends and Adapting

• Stay Current: Keep an eye on emerging trends and adapt them to fit your brand’s image. Being quick and relevant is key to TikTok success.
• Flexibility in Strategy: Be prepared to change your content strategy based on what works. The platform’s fast-paced nature means what’s popular can change quickly.

What Type of Content Works Well on TikTok?

In some ways, TikTok

mimics YouTube. The meat is in the videos that users share. However, Tiktok is known to be a platform of the most genuine and raw content.

Self-produced videos perform excellently on this platform. Most Tiktokers just use a basic tripod with a ring light, phone camera or entry-level camera, and a user-friendly video editing app. Some influencers even still use the in-app editing features. Simply put, raw content works and results in organic results. 

Here are some of the not-so-overly-produced videos that worked well:

Best Time To Post a TikTok Video

While content quality is important on Tiktok, the timing of posting also plays a significant role. To achieve the best results, brands should post their content when most users are online and are ready to engage with the app.

Since Singaporean Tiktok users are mostly students and young professionals, it is logical to post during break times and end of work shifts. According to Impossible.sg, “peak activity is observed during lunchtime, typically between 11 am and 3 pm.” Users are on breaks or eating, thus they are most likely to browse their social media apps. 

Another good posting time is in the evening, around 7 pm to 9 pm. Users are most likely commuting home or winding down, which can lead to higher engagements. It is also observed by many that posting on weekends delivers good reach and engagement results. 

The best or most optimized time for posting sometimes varies. As a brand, it is recommended to experiment and observe the best time slots to post. Since consumer demographics vary per brand, the time, frequency, and the manner in which they consume also vary. 

The Role of Influencer Marketing on TikTok

Influencer marketing on TikTok has become a cornerstone of effective digital strategies. This segment explores how to identify the right influencers for your brand, create authentic collaborations, and leverage these partnerships for maximum impact on TikTok.

Identifying the Right TikTok Influencers

• Alignment with Brand Values: Look for influencers whose style, content, and audience align with your brand’s ethos. Authenticity in this alignment is crucial for effective campaigns.
• Audience Demographics and Engagement: Analyze the influencer’s audience demographics and engagement levels. An influencer with a highly engaged following can be more valuable than one with a larger but less engaged audience.

Steps for Successful Influencer Collaborations

• Outreach and Communication: Reach out with a clear and professional proposal. Open and transparent communication sets the stage for a successful partnership.
• Co-Creation of Content: Collaborate with influencers in the content creation process. Their understanding of what resonates with their audience can guide the creation of impactful content.
• Campaign Goals and Expectations: Clearly define the goals and expectations of the campaign. Whether it’s brand awareness, product launches, or specific call-to-actions, clarity ensures both parties work towards the same objectives.

Measuring the Success of Influencer Campaigns

• Engagement Metrics: Monitor likes, comments, shares, and video views to gauge the campaign’s impact.
• Conversion Tracking: If the campaign’s goal is conversions, use trackable links or promo codes to measure the effectiveness of the influencer’s content in driving sales.

Building Long-Term Relationships

• Beyond One-Off Campaigns: Consider building long-term relationships with influencers. Continuous collaborations can lead to more authentic and effective promotion.
• Feedback and Adaptation: After a campaign, review the results and gather feedback from both the influencer and your audience. Use these insights to improve future collaborations.

How to Effectively Work With TikTok Influencers

In Singapore and the world over, brands have experienced immense success working with TikTok influencers. Who else would you be working with? But to consolidate such success, you’ll need to let influencers off the leash and build productive relationships. Here are steps that guarantee the success of partnering with a TikTok influencer.

• Know your Audience: Simply, you cannot succeed with a TikTok influencer if you barely know your audience. It pays to identify the alternate brands and other influencers that your target audience associates with.
• Choose the Influencers Meticulously: You cannot afford to choose a TikTok influencer blindly. Don’t be blinded by the likes and the view. You don’t have to go for top gun influencers. Those not-so-very prominent influencers who are well versed with your content needs and the audience will work the magic.
• Understand How TikTok Works: Is TikTok like any other social media app? You bet not. Being a video content-driven platform, it’s crucial to know how it works. Also, take time to think through how your video content fits into the lives of your audience and their pain points.
• Give Influencers Freedom: TikTok rewards creativity. As soon as you find the relevant influencer(s), give them the wiggle room they need to execute. If you’re breathing down their neck, you’ll constrict their creativity, remember, you don’t have to cede your authority. It pays to have a playbook to guide the process. 

TikTok Marketing in Singapore: Why is it Effective?

Finding the right following on TikTok is like hitting the marketing jackpot. The competition is less, and you can interact with your target audience personally.

But there are more reasons why TikTok marketing fits your Singaporean brand.

• 800 Million TikTok Users: TikTok’s user base is phenomenal. You have over 800 million global users at your disposal. Singapore and the APAC region claim 36% of this. The daily active users on the platform rival the numbers on Facebook and Instagram. That said, you cannot dispute TikTok’s untapped potential for marketers.
• Language Diversity: TikTok relies on a single language. Wrong. The truth is that it’s one of the leading social media apps available in over 39 global languages. Not only can you average it for your local business, but you can communicate the same to 39 other global tribes.
• A Growing Fan Base: Mention TikTok and the Gen Z picture comes to mind. On one end, the young demographic that associates with the app are growing exponentially. On the other hand, the demographics between 29-39 that use TikTok are increasing too.

Do you need TikTok marketing in Singapore?

Yes, because it’s versatile and creative. Most importantly, it has proven itself as a virality machine in just a few years of its existence. However, utilizing this new and creative platform still depends on your branding and target market.

Is your target market using Tiktok? Does your branding and reputation align with the Tiktok shenanigans? What can be the implications if your brand will use Tiktok?

Any Singaporean company looking to sell to younger generations will make a killing on Tiktok. Additionally, video marketers who want to stand out are poised to carry the day.

There’s no debating that TikTok is invariably a video marketing platform with a touch of oomph. Your video can go viral anytime.

What to consider when choosing TikTok for marketing in Singapore?

Marketing dictates the use of Social Media, given the ever-increasing user base. But does that apply to TikTok as well? To get it right, here are some considerations.

• Demographics: Before you plunge in, consider whether your target audience falls into a category that’s in favour of Gen Z. if your target is to sell to the 16-24 age bracket, smile, the app got you covered. If you’re targeting people aged between 36-56, you might want to rethink your move.
• The Allure: Do you think your brand can gain by connecting with the TikTok audience? You know that TikTok is the new gem in the Singaporean digital marketing space. But, stop and assess whether the risks and the energy you put in are worth the ROI.
• Control: What if I told you that you have to cede some control to the TikTok community for your brand to benefit? Then, you need to check whether you’re comfortable letting influencers run it their way. It’s unlike traditional marketing where your brand calls the shots over messaging. You need to consider that before setting up a challenge.
• Influencer Input: Check whether you’ll need to deploy influencers. If so, do you know the right ‘troop” of influencers that can make the kind of impact you’re looking for? Always make sure the influencers are conversant and experienced in your niche. Remember, being unoriginal could mean doom for you and the influencer. There has to be perfect harmony.
• Brand Outlook: TikTok isn’t the average marketing app. Firstly, you need to be trendy and upbeat. Also, you need to be sure that videos and music are the perfect means to amplify your brand. Think of Redbull and its daredevil stunts on TikTok.  The #givesyouwings hashtag is an absolute winner.

How to promote your brand through TikTok advertising?

If you want your brand to be found by your target demographics, here are some TikTok ad options you can try.

• In-feed Native Ads: Do you know how Instagram full-screen stories work and feel in advertising? Then, it’s the same way that TikTok in-feed native ads work. They present you with the option to include website likes and order buttons in-ad. This lets users land on the page directly. Ad usage here can be tracked using click-through rates, engagements, impressions or total views.
• Hashtag Challenge Ads: These ads lead a user to an exact banner ad that in turn leads them to the page with the rules and terms of a given challenge. The banner in question is on the ‘Discover’ page, and the type of user content determines it. It’s easy to measure using banner views, the amount of user-generated content, and the number of views and clicks, among others.
• Brand takeover ads: These are the Ads that commandeer the app as soon as you open the app. They take over the screen for a few seconds before ushering you into the In-Feed Video ad. It’s a distinct form of TikTok ads where GIFs, short clips or photos preamble the brand landing page. Ad categories here are exclusive and can only feature one brand in a day. These ads are user-friendly and can be tracked using click rates, unique reaches or impressions.
• Hashtag Challenges: Do you know how hashtags brew storms on Twitter? On TikTok, they help to trigger audiences while sending organic messages. They’re non-sponsored and can turn your marketing efforts into an instant success. Hashtags appear on the Discover page, and the right influencer can work wonders on your behalf.
• User-generated Content: This is probably the most engaging and highly accessible TikTok advertising mode. User participation promotes a brand’s causes with tools that allow users to post content/ideas around trending topics. User-generated content has the potential to go viral if users have their way.

6 Creative Ways To Create An Interesting Marketing Content For TikTok

Running an effective TikTok campaign will always boil down to how creative your content is. Here are some ways to create exciting Tiktok content:

1. Use the Same Approach You Use to Come up with Your Blog Post Ideas

The easiest way to develop creative content for TikTok is to wear the mind of a blogger and think about some of the problems or pain points your audience has. What type of content do you think will interest them?

Where you can’t point out some of these problems or figure out what can interest them, go ahead and ask them. You can also visit popular forums such as Quora and Reddit to find out what questions your audience is asking.

There are plenty of other ways to go about it. For instance, you could take some suggestions from Google’s Autosuggest feature.

2. Create Humorous Videos

Laughter is the best medicine.

As much as your followers would want you to help them solve a problem they have, it sometimes helps to make your content entertaining. Give them something to laugh at, without making it appear like you never have fun. Feed them humour, and they’ll learn to loosen up around you and engage with you even more.

What type of content does your audience consider fun? You can joke about the industry or get your staff to participate in a challenge and even formulate one.

Whatever you decide on, the point is to create the kind of content that your target audience can relate to. And don’t just pick any random video post that you find hilarious. You have to make sure the video is related to the kind of business that you do.

3. Create or Join a Viral Craze

TikTok is full of viral craze videos. If you can’t create a viral craze video, then perhaps you should consider joining one.

Once the video goes viral, it enters mass consciousness. Dance challenges are usually themed around a choreographed sequence of moves, a particular track, or both.

Some brands may find it hard to participate in a dance craze, deeming it cheesy. The only way to overcome this feeling is to feel the challenge genuinely. If you’re not enjoying the song or the dance moves, then the whole video will appear stiff and even feel flat with the viewers that get to watch it.

It pays to be silly at times. Learn to embrace the fun and enjoy the dance challenge. Even if it fails to go viral, you’ll still have enjoyed making the video.

4. Run a Contest

Learn from Uniqlo.

In June 2019, they launched a one-of-a-kind, multi-market on TikTok. Participants were asked to create innovative videos of themselves donning their favourite Uniqlo pieces, captioned with the hashtag #UTPlayYourWorld.

The contest was meant for creators from France, Japan, Taiwan, and the US. The winning videos were to be played in select stores. The contest turned out to be a huge success, with the #UTPlayYourWorld hashtag garnering more than 700 million views.

This is a classic example of how contests or user-generated content could help you boost your online credibility and inspire trust. By re-using their content, you’ll be establishing a relationship and building loyalty with them.

5. Create AR Branded Filters

As with Snapchat and Instagram, creators can add AR filters and lenses to their videos.

As a brand, you can upload your custom filters for your followers to use. You could borrow some ideas from NY Fashion Week. After inviting TikTok creators to their 2020 shows, they would create photo booth filters to accompany these events.

Creating these filters requires advanced digital expertise. That means it’s only worthwhile when you’re designing them for a significant occasion or event. And when done well, it’s one of the best ways to grow your audience and boost brand awareness.

6. Cover Current Trends / Special Occasions

Much of what trends on TikTok begins and dies on the platform. But that doesn’t mean you can’t drag content from outside and still make it a trend.

There’s a lot of entertaining content out there – major news and pop culture, that infiltrates the platform and takes a new life form. You can take a cue from Washington Post, famous for taking topical events and turning them into viral TikTok videos.

All you have to do is find ways to turn these events or topics into engaging videos. For example, as the pandemic rages on, you could tackle it by uploading videos on self-quarantine and hand hygiene.

You, however, have to be very careful with the approach you use to cover serious topics. They’re sensitive and delicate. Drawing fun out of a serious issue may come off as insensitive or poor taste. You have to find that perfect balance between humour, information, and sensitivity.

TikTok Marketing in Singapore

Brands in Singapore must not overlook TikTok as an effective marketing tool and media touchpoint. In a short amount of time, the app has grown rapidly, with millions of active users regularly engaging, even addicted, to the platform. Furthermore, in a few years of its existence, Tiktok has proven itself to house viral content.

With the current updates, Tiktok has an in-app shop and other advertising options. Because of this, brands have numerous ways to creatively put their products and services in front of their target market. Moreover, Tiktok is the home of millions of influencers, ranging from micro influencers to internet superstars.

Through collaborations, brands can tap the influencers’ dedicated followers and encourage them to use their products. Also, in Tiktok, brands can localize content, therefore making their campaigns tailor-fit to their target market. 

Overall, TikTok’s dynamic and engaging nature makes it a valuable platform for brands looking to connect with a young and active audience in Singapore.